Schistosomiasis Control Initiative
Encyclopedia
Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI) is an initiative that helps governments in African countries tackle neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) caused by worms. It was founded in 2002 and funded via grants from the Gates Foundation, USAID, and Geneva Global.
to tackle seven NTDs caused by worms: three types of soil-transmitted helminths, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis
, schistosomiasis
, and trachoma
.
rated SCI as a notable organization for "its promising approach and for conducting evaluations of its activities." It is one of the contenders for the top recommended charity for end 2011.
The Giving What We Can
website rates SCI as one of its "Tier 1" organizations, i.e., one of its best giving opportunities. Based on this, The Life You Can Save, a website started based on philosopher Peter Singer
's book The Life You Can Save
, also rates SCI as one of the organizations to give to.
What they do
SCI uses dewormingDeworming
Deworming is the giving of an anthelmintic drug to an animal to rid it of intestinal parasites, such as roundworm and tapeworm...
to tackle seven NTDs caused by worms: three types of soil-transmitted helminths, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis
Onchocerciasis
Onchocerciasis , also known as river blindness and Robles' disease, is a parasitic disease caused by infection by Onchocerca volvulus, a nematode . Onchocerciasis is the world's second-leading infectious cause of blindness. It is not the nematode, but its endosymbiont, Wolbachia pipientis, that...
, schistosomiasis
Schistosomiasis
Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by several species of trematodes , a parasitic worm of the genus Schistosoma. Snails often act as an intermediary agent for the infectious diseases until a new human host is found...
, and trachoma
Trachoma
Trachoma is an infectious disease causing a characteristic roughening of the inner surface of the eyelids. Also called granular conjunctivitis and Egyptian ophthalmia, it is the leading cause of infectious blindness in the world...
.
External reviews
In mid-2011, charity evaluator GiveWellGivewell
GiveWell is an American non-profit charity evaluator created in 2006 by two former finance industry workers, Holden Karnofsky and Elie Hassenfeld. GiveWell's goal is to use an evidence based approach by examining results empirically and avoiding anecdotes and appeals to stories. They investigate...
rated SCI as a notable organization for "its promising approach and for conducting evaluations of its activities." It is one of the contenders for the top recommended charity for end 2011.
The Giving What We Can
Giving What We Can
Giving What We Can is an international society for the promotion of poverty relief, in particular in the developing world.Founded by moral philosopher Dr Toby Ord in November 2009, Giving What We Can is not a charity itself: the aims of the organisation are instead to encourage people to commit to...
website rates SCI as one of its "Tier 1" organizations, i.e., one of its best giving opportunities. Based on this, The Life You Can Save, a website started based on philosopher Peter Singer
Peter Singer
Peter Albert David Singer is an Australian philosopher who is the Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University and Laureate Professor at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics at the University of Melbourne...
's book The Life You Can Save
The Life You Can Save
The Life You Can Save: Acting Now to End World Poverty is a 2009 non-fiction book written by Australian philosopher Peter Singer. In it, Singer argues that citizens of affluent nations are behaving immorally if they do not act to end the poverty they know to exist in developing nations.The book...
, also rates SCI as one of the organizations to give to.